Tail-gate support and bracket.



H. C. WHTICH..

TAIL GATE SUPPORT AND BRACKET.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-5.15M].

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known .thatI,HAnRY C. WITTIGH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented. certain new and USGflllIInPI'OVBIHGIIts in Tail-Gate Supports and Brackets, of whichthe following is a specification. r

This invention relates to improvements in a tail gate support and bracket, and has for its object a hingedtoothed arm connected to the interior of the body frame and ar ranged in proper relation with the tail-gate of a vehicle for holding the tail gate in a raised horizontal position when access is desired to the interior of the vehicle body.

A further object of thi invention is to construct a vehicle body the tail gate of which may be formed of one or a plurality of sections and arranged to be raised upwardly or downwardly and hinged, so that each section of the gate may be supported in an extended or lowered position when the tail gate is opened.

The invention is an improvement and operates in connection with United States Letters-Patent which was issued July 4, 1899, Patent No. 628,425 on wagon end gate.

Figure 1, is a sectional view of a portion of the end of a wagon body showing my invention in relative position with the tail gate.

Fig. 2, is a detail perspective view of the locking arm made use of in connection with my invention.

Fig. 3, is a detail view of the arm or bracket with a part broken away showing the hinged end thereof.

Fig. 4, is a front end view of the same.

Fig. 5, is a detail side view of the front end with a part broken away.

Fig. 6, is a detail perspective view of the spring made use of in connection with my invention.

Fig. 7, is a detail perspective view of the bracket to which the arm is hinged.

Referring to the drawings in detail 8 indicates the rear portionof a wagon or vehicle body, 9 the opening in which the one section of the tail gate 10 is adapted to be seated when in closed position.

0n the inner surface of the vehicle body and in proper alinement with the opening 9 1 place brackets 11, to which the one end 12 of the supporting arm is hinged and held in such hinged position by means of the bolt 18.

' $pecifioati0n of Letters ratent.

Patented neat, wit. 1 Application filed February 5,1917. Seria1Nc,1%,f560;

l The arm is preferably constructed of a rod or bar of -oval iron and'its free end is suitably bent formlng a handle or hand grip 14,; and at a short distance to the rear of this bent hand grip is formed a tooth 15, WlllCl'l tooth is designed to come in contact shown in Fig. 2, consistingof an elongated portlon 18 and a right-angular extension 19,

in which is formed an elongated slot 20 through which the bent end portion 14 of the supporting rod projects and is permitted to operate.

On the under side of the elongated portion 18 of the bar is firmly attached a spring 21, the forward or free end of said spring being suitably bent and curved indicated by the numeral 22, which bent portion snugly fits against the arm and is permitted to slide during the movement while the tail gate is raised from a vertical to a horizontal position; at the same time this spring exerts sufficient pressure on the arm to keep it in close contact with the surface 23 of the elongated slot.

By this arrangement and construction the tail gate of a vehicle can be raised and held in such raised position when access is desired to be had to the interior of the body. And when desiring to lower the gate from its horizontal to a vertical position the operator presses the curved hand grip portion upwardly releasing the tooth from its position shown in Fig. 1, and then permits the gate to assume a vertical position by means of the rods sliding in the elongated slot. In Fig. 1, I show a winged or thumb nut 24, which is connected to an ordinary latch look as that illustrated in the United States Patent to Wittich No. 628,425 of July 4th, 1899, and by which look the tail gate is held in locked position against the body frame. of the vehicle.

Having fully described my invention what I claim is:

1. A tail gate support and bracket comprising a tail gate hingedly mounted at the top of the tail gate opening, a locking bar attached to the inner surface of the tail gate, said bar having one end bent at right angles and provided with an elongated slot, a supporting arm hingedly attached at one end to a bracket located on the interior of the 'vehicle body, its free end being bent forming I c ib iies oft this patent be obtained for a handle which projects through the elontached to the under side ofthe tail gate its free end contacting with the supporting arm, substantially as specified.

--2. A device o'f'the class described domprising a tail gate supportrin combination with a Vehicle body to which it is hingedly connected, a locking'baf carried by the tail gatelon -endbeing bent at right angles and provided with an-elongated slot, a supporting" arm, a bracket attached to the interior of thehvehiclebody and to which one end of the. supporting arm is pivoted, a handle formedon. the free end of the supporting a,IfII1,. L tooth formed on sald arm which tooth is to contact with the right angular projectionof the locking arm when supporting'the tail gate "in a horizontal position, and a leafspring located between the supporting a'rmand' the locking bar, said spring name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY O. VVITTICH. Witnesses: o

ALFRED A. EIoKs, B. AUSTINE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

